These ratings show the Dodgers to be a legitimate 95-win team [note: they actually did finish 95-67: RLM] and the best team in the National League by a wide margin. The Rockies and Phillies have 86-to-88-win talent with the series leaning in the Phillies’ direction because they are slightly better and they have home-field advantage. The Cardinals grade out as the worst of the playoff teams with 83 wins against an average schedule.

SOSG points us at ESPN's oh-so-flawed 2008 postseason predictions. Almost to a man, they tabbed the Cubs to advance.

Further: the 2009 storyline, with St. Louis playing Joan of Arc to the Dodgers' ... well, whatever it was that the invading English were back in the middle ages.